PLANS have been revealed to reduce the number of accidents on a busy stretch of road in Southport where there has been 44 casualties in the past three years.

In that time, 28 accidents, of which five have been serious, have been recorded on Eastbourne Road and Cemetery Road.

On an average week, 15,175 cars pass along the road at speeds over the 30mph limit.

A trader on Eastbourne Road, Chris Hesketh of VIPs, said: “Down this end, you can always hear drivers slamming on their brakes at the last minute.

“I do think there should be more traffic lights at the cross roads, that would improve things.”

“I think the worst problem round this area are the vans parking everywhere, sometimes they are parked on corners and visibility is awful.

“There should be double yellow lines close by, but then that would affect the trade on this road, so it is difficult to say. “Maybe they would work if we had them on the road opposite us.”

He added: “I do think certain restrictions are a good idea, something should be done.”

The proposals will see traffic regulations installed, such as pedestrian refuges, road narrowing, more signs and marking, no waiting at any time restrictions and the road surfaces will be improved.

The plans come after accidents which have involved pedestrians, drivers failing to give way at junctions and poor right-turn manoeuvres.

The five most serious included a young driver under the influence of drugs failing to give way, an 11-year-old riding off the footway and into the path of a passing car, and two young drivers crashed when under the influence of alcohol.

A total of 55 vehicles were involved in the incidents.

Most happened at the junction of Warwick Street and Cemetery Road. There were also four accidents at the junction of Upper Aughton Road and three accidents at the junction with Claremont Road.

If passed by Southport Area Committee on Wednesday, the changes will cost a total of £101,711 and are aimed at reducing crashes.

Local resident Joan Wright said: “At night, you can hear all the cars speeding around. “There is no way they are doing 30. There have been a lot of accidents on the corner of Upper Aughton Road. Some walls at the front of some of the nearby houses have even been knocked down. Things will get better if the signs are re-marked and made clearer.”

She added: “Sometimes you can feel unsafe. You have to wait to make sure that the cars are actually going to stop.

“Just the other day I was walking past and three cars just went by and didn’t stop.

“I live so near to the road that I have heard a lot of accidents, you can hear them all crashing into each other.”